Belt buckle



March 16, 1948. E. M. EASTER BELT BUCKLE Filed Jan. l10, 1945 EDWARD M. EASTER MM@ @m Patented Mar. 16, 1948 UNITED STTES PATENT OFFICE BELT BUCKLE Edward M. Easter, Detroit, Mich.

Application January 10, 1945, Serial No. 572,227

2 Claims. l

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in belt buckles, and has for its primary object to provide novel means for automatically gripping and securing a belt against movement in the Ibuckle.

More specifically, the invention comprises a hollow body through which one end of a belt is adapted for insertion togetherV with pivotal and slidable locking means mounted in the body and adapted to produce a wedging engagement of the belt with a portion of the body to secure the belt against withdrawal.

A still further object of the invention is to pron vide releasable means for the belt locking means.

Another important object of the invention is to provide locking means within the body for the belt and adapted for securing the belt against movement in either direction.

An additional object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is neat and attractive in appearance, efficient and reliable in operation, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation, as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the belt buckle.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view.

Figure 4 is an enlarged end elevational view of one form of locking member.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified form of locking member showing the same in belt-locking position.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the locking member in released position.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating a modif-led form of releasing mechanism for the belt-locking member, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the form of belt-locking member illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and first with respect to the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, the numeral 5 designates a hollow, substantially elongated belt buckle body having openings 6 and l in its opposite ends to form a guide for slidably receiving one end of a belt 8 inserted through said openings and extending through the guide. The other end of the belt designated at 9 is also inserted through the opening 'I and secured in the guide by means of a pin I Il.

The sides of the guide are formed with inclined, longitudinally extending slots II having a lateral extension I'2 at one end, the slots I I being adapted to slidably and rotatably receive the trunnion I3 formed on the end of a roller I4 having circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending ribs I5 formed thereon. 1

The slots II are inclined in a direction toward a transversely extending rib I6 formed on the inside of the guide 5 on the back wall thereof, while the lateral extensions I 2 of the slots II extend in a direction toward the front wall of the guide.

Accordingly, by inserting the end 8 of the belt through the opening and into the guide 5, the belt will pass over the rib I6 and under the roller I4 whereby upon sliding the roller along the slots II and into the lateral extensions I2, one of the ribs I5 of the roller will wedge the belt against the rib I6 and thus secure the belt against movement in the buckle.

The rib I5 may be formed with serrations or teeth I'I and the ribs I5 of the roller I4 may likewise be formed with serrations or teeth I8 to more eectively Ibite into the surfaces of the belt.

Inclined flanges I9 may be formed on the inside of the guide 5 and extending upwardly from the rear wall thereof to guide the end 8 of the belt into a position for feeding the same through the rear opening 1.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing, the locking member is designated at 20 and is in the form of a pair of diverging plates 2l having trunnions 22 at their longitudinali;7 connected edges for sliding and rotatable movement in the inclined slots '23 in the opposite side of the hollow guide 24.

The plates 2i constitute legs adapted to straddle the inwardly struck rib 25 formed on the rear wall of the guide 24 when the trunnions 22 are moved into the lateral extensions 2S of the slots. When in the position shown in Figure 5 of the drawing, the legs of the locking `member 2G will prevent sliding movement of the belt 2l in either direction.

An inwardly projecting stop pin 28 carried by the guide 2d and positioned between the legs 2l limits the swinging movement of the legs in either direction. 1

'Ihe trunnions 22 of the locking member are released from the lateral extensions 26 of the slots by means of a lever 29 pivoted to the inside of the guide 24 and projecting outwardly through the front wall thereof by way of an opening 30 therein, the lever having a laterally projecting lug 3l thereon engaging the connecting edges of the legs 2| to force the same out of the lateral extensions 26 so that the trunnions 22 may move along the slots 23 to disengage the legs from the belt.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure '7, the releasing means for the locking member comprises a button 32 working in an opening 33 in the front wall of the guide 34, the button having one end of a leaf spring 35 embedded therein and which is secured at its other end to the inside of the guide. An inward movement of -the button 32 will engage the locking member (not shown) which has its ends adapted for ymovement in the slots 36 to disengage the locking member from the lateral extensions 31 of said slots.

It is believed the details of construction, manner of operation and advantages of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A belt buckle including a belt guide adapted for slidably receiving one end of a belt, a transverse rib in the guide, and a locking member including diverging llegs and having trunnions slidably and rotatably mounted in the guide for movement of the locking member toward and away from said rib, said legs straddling the rib and adapted for wedging a belt against the rib-upon exertion of a pulling force on the belt in either direction, and means on the guide operable outwardly ofthe latter for engaging and releasing said locking member.

2. A belt buckle including a belt guide adapted for slidably receiving one end of a belt, a transverse rib in the guide, and a locking member including diverging legs and having trunnions slidably and rotatably mounted in the guide for movement of the locking member toward and away from said rib, said legs straddling the rib and adapted for Wedging a belt against the rib upon exertion of a pulling force on the belt in either direction, and a pivoted lever carried by the guide and having a portion engaging the locking member for releasing the same.

EDWARD M. EASTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 14,316 Ballou June 19, 1917 52,154 Frye Jan. 23, 1866 279,385 Herkimer June 12, 1883 289,375 Beach Dec. 4, 1883 1,054,449 Sanders Feb. 25, 1913 1,086,455 Kaiser Feb. 10, 1914 1,099,886 Rumble, Jr. June 9, 1914 1,340,302 Sterne May 18, 1920 1,340,821 Buchsbaum May 18, 1920 1,368,848 Shufeldt Feb. 15, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,943 Great Britain 1903 

